President’s term in office is 5 years - AG tells court

The Attorney General’s Department has informed the Supreme Court that, according to the current Constitution, the tenure of the President is five years. 

Deputy Solicitor General Kanishka De Silva, appearing on behalf of the Acting Attorney General, revealed this to the court when the petition regarding the President’s term in office was taken up for consideration today (08).

She also mentioned that preliminary objections would be raised, seeking the dismissal of the petition. 

The Supreme Court has taken up for consideration the Fundamental Rights (FR) petition, which requests an interim order to prevent the presidential election from being held within the currently scheduled period until the court provides an interpretation regarding the end date of the current President’s term.

A five-member Supreme Court bench, comprising Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, Justices Vijith Malalgoda, Murdu Fernando, Preethi Padman Surasena, and S. Thurairaja, had been named to consider the petition.

Ada Derana court reporter said that the attorneys have already begun presenting their arguments. 

The petition was filed by an entrepreneur named C.D. Lenawa last Wednesday (3).